When No Doesn't Mean No: Negotiating and Communicating for Consensual Nonconsent (CNC) w/ vahatva

How do you keep yourself safe when you want to feel you’re in real danger? How do you push someone past their breaking point and still leave room to repair the damage? Is there a way to forego hard limits and safewords and stay ethical in play?

When you start to play on the edges of consent, everything becomes a little bit trickier. In this class, vahavta draws on theory, research, and years of lived experience in 24/7 consensual nonconsent (CNC) dynamics to share tips and strategies for developing and staying within a personal risk profile, playing with triggers and fear, communicating in-scene without “breaking character,” and dealing with cognitive dissonance ("did I really want that?") in drop. This class will explore what mental and physical considerations and contingency plans might be needed in a CNC environment based on the desires and boundaries expressed by both bottoms and tops, and students will leave with greater clarity as far as how to articulate and navigate their own CNC-oriented desires — with risk mitigation and communicative collaboration in mind.

The class will be held on Zoom. The waiting room opens 15 minutes early at 4:45PM PDT. Instruction begins at 5PM PDT.

About the Instructor

Vahavta is a kink writer and educator with a particular passion for risk-aware practices, personal agency, and the validity of all consensual desires. With over a decade of lived experience in 24/7 CNC-based Total Power Exchange—and even longer bottoming for emotional S/m and edge play—vahavta is the creator of the "Submission Beyond Limits" workbook for s-types as well as the Risk Evaluation Database (RED), and she is proud to have taught her classes for international communities both online and off. vahavta is disabled, Jewish, and femme, and believes in approaching kink with a firm understanding of intersectional context. A regular contributor to kink blogs and her own Fetlife writing index, much of which can also be found on her website. Vahavta Loves putting words together, watching her most romantic nightmares come true, and doing whatever her 50-lb lapdog wants. In all aspects of her life, she strives to be a work in progress. Find her under vahavta on Fetlife and substack!

Access

The class will be held on Zoom. The access link will be provided to ticket holders in the email receipt. Please check your inbox and spam folder; if you have not received the ticket link, please email praxium@afterdark-sf.com.

The waiting room opens 15 minutes early at 4:45PM PDT. Instruction begins at 5PM PDT.

Tickets:

1. Tickets are sliding scale $15-$30
2. No Refunds. All sales are Final.

About Praxium

Praxium is a center for kink and sex-positive education, dedicated to building community and expanding knowledge. We honor the rich traditions of the queer leather and kink communities while striving to create a more inclusive, consent-driven culture.

We provide high-quality education - both foundational and advanced - that empowers individuals to explore, play, and connect with confidence and agency. We believe in fostering spaces that support learning, curiosity, and personal growth.

Whether you're new to kink or a seasoned player, Praxium offers opportunities to expand your knowledge, refine your skills, and engage with a thriving community. Reach out to learn more about our classes or how to collaborate with us by emailing us at praxium@afterdark-sf.com